Blog | Stitchin' Post tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-13509322018-04-25T14:17:26-07:00Discover education, inspiration, and creativity at Stitchin’ Post, the premier makery in the Pacific Northwest for quilts, kits, yarns, and workshops.TypePadApril Alchemy of Fabrics, Part 2 - April 2018 Suggested Projecttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d551a8883401b7c9609760970b2018-04-25T14:17:26-07:002018-04-25T14:15:05-07:00April Alchemy Project: Michelle from Busy Bee Quilt Designs created this simple, very fun quilt for us using the Enchanted Forest fabrics. Michelle’s patterns are so popular because of the simple designs and how well they work with a variety...Blog | Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR

Michelle from Busy Bee Quilt Designs created this simple, very fun quilt for us using the Enchanted Forest fabrics. Michelle’s patterns are so popular because of the simple designs and how well they work with a variety of prints. I have also seen them created in solids, which created a dramatic effect.

She has the Hip To Be Square size of 68” x 80” and Hip Baby which is 36” x 60”.(The quilt above is made with the "Hip Baby" pattern, and a kit is available.)

I like the idea of taking three vertical rows of blocks from Hip Baby and creating a table runner.

Row by Row is Backtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d551a8883401bb09a64b24970d2017-06-16T14:22:38-07:002017-06-20T09:19:43-07:00Many people who are following us, whether online or in the shop, know that this is the time of year when we are really gearing up for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, but we are also working hard to make...Blog | Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR

Many people who are following us, whether online or in the shop, know that this is the time of year when we are really gearing up for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, but we are also working hard to make up Row by Row kits! Row by Row begins on June 21st, 2017 and kits will be available through September 5th.

Last year, we made 1,832 kits for Row by Row throughout the course of the summer. This year, Edie has folded and packaged 954 Row by Row kits already and she assured me that by the end of the day today, she will have over 1,000! Isn’t she adorable surrounded by all this fabric for the kits?

June and Cheryle designed our row this year, June designed last year's row as well. If you are interested in last year’s pattern, we do have those available on our website and in the store. We also have the Fabric Plates again this year.

New this year is the Row by Row Junior which we are participating in! This is designed for kids between the ages of 6 and 14 and the time frame is the same as regular Row by Row, however the child must be present when picking up the pattern (but a kit can be purchased by anyone). We chose the “High Tops” pattern for our Junior Row.

The first five kids who bring in a project using our Junior Row will get a ribbon. But the adult who brings in a completed quilt (quilted, bound, labeled) with 8 rows from 8 different shops will win a fabric prize! But the rules say you must go into the store to pick up the pattern and/or to purchase the kit. Luckily for those who cannot make it to the store, we can take orders that can be shipped out after November 1st, 2017.

We want to see your row! Share it with us using #SewMuchInspiration when you share on social media.

If you are interested in purchasing our older rows, please call the store. Here they are in reverse chronological order:

Alchemy of Fabrictag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d551a8883401b8d27df179970c2017-05-01T10:54:56-07:002017-05-01T14:03:50-07:00The Alchemy of Fabric Club- May 2017 Edition: Friends to All “Friends to All” really is a good description for neutral themed fabrics. We are so fortunate these days to have the variety that we do in the scale and...Blog | Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR

“Friends to All” really is a good description for neutral themed fabrics. We are so fortunate these days to have the variety that we do in the scale and content of the prints. We have chosen a wide variety for you to sample and play with in your creative endeavors.

The change in scale with the dots is interesting. Notice how the white dot on the grey has less contrast than the two black and white/cream dots. Jen Kingwell is a true master when it comes to mixing not only prints but in blending colors. Two of our offerings have more of a creamy background where the others are black or white. In the old days of owning the store, quilters would never have mixed cream and white backgrounds in the same quilt. But quilters are more adventuresome these days.

Being open to new possibilities will give you more design opportunities. “Matchy-matchy” is fine, but I am drawn to work that has a more edgy feeling as it engages my curiosity to want to take another look. The three prints with text-like writing add a whole new feeling to blocks once they are cut up. They have more of a random textural feeling.

10 Recommended Fabrics:

The featured quilt in the May Alchemy of Fabric is from a pattern called “The Avenue” by Jen Kingwell. Both Jen’s patterns and color palette is our focus for the month of May. We are lucky at the Stitchin’ Post to be hosting two classes mid month called “Quilting with Jen” where the students will be using a variety of her patterns in classes. “The Avenue” was Jean's favorite pattern she saw at Quilt Market in Houston last fall. The inspiration for “The Avenue” pattern is the trees lining the avenue in Paris. Our featured quilt in May is made by Jill Beaman.

The neutral light colored fabrics in the fabric pack is for the background and the black fabrics in the fabric pack are for the tree trunks. The neutrals set the stage for the trees, and the vibrant colored fabrics in the 10 recommended fabrics are for the tree bodies, which are composed of 4 fabrics.

The 10 recommended fabrics are meant to give a high contrast with the background fabrics. The intention is that the neutral background fabrics allow the trees to take center stage. With the exception of one of the fabrics they are mainly medium value fabrics, which easily harmonize, in the unit of 4 pieces in the tree body. The advantage of using high contrast fabrics for tree bodies in comparison with the background fabrics is that it gives a distinct shape to the trees. This is just one effect. Mixing in a few pieces of lower contrast fabrics will give a very different effect.

We chose fabrics for the tree bodies that have vibrant colors, along with small, medium and large prints to add texture to the overall effect of the trees. Little dots in the “Over the Top” dots fabric are a small print in comparison to the large swirls in the “Heart to Heart” fabrics that are both designed by Jane Sassaman. The “Cat Eyes” fabric of Tula Pink with an oval shaped focus and “Aria Cotton” with a square dotted surface design. We also chose some fabrics that read as a solid along with the other prints.

A variety of surface design elements along with a variety of color is the key in the tree bodies and they add up to a quilt that has interest and movement.

Happy Creating!

Our intention for creating the "Alchemy of Fabric" club is to provide the spark... the catalyst... the inspiration... for a project that your color palette is built upon. We have a monthly tutorial of insights on each fabric chosen. We have also included 10 other recommended fabrics to expand from the core fabrics and further guide your choices.

We are excited to share this educational opportunity as a study in color and fabric as well as build your artist palette of fabrics. As you practice designing your project from many different designers and collections our hope is to facilitate greater confidence and empowerment in your creative pursuits..

At the Stitchin' Post were are committed to creativity and inspiration and we are now embarking on a journey opening to new options together as the "Alchemy of Fabric" unfolds each month. Please share with us what the spark has ignited in you using the hashtag "#AlchemyofFabric" on your preferred social media platform, so others can be inspired by your work! You can also search #AlchemyofFabric to see what others have done, and to gain your own inspiration.

Greetings from Jean.....tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d551a8883401b8d22f679e970c2016-10-25T07:15:00-07:002016-10-24T19:31:12-07:00Greetings from Jean.... The husband of our Cut Goods Coordinator, Tamra Dumolt, has accepted a promotion in his company and Tamra will be moving to Bellevue, WA in November. We are really going to miss her! She is going to...Blog | Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR

Greetings from Jean....

The husband of our Cut Goods Coordinator, Tamra Dumolt, has accepted a promotion in his company and Tamra will be moving to Bellevue, WA in November. We are really going to miss her! She is going to come back for quilt show to help us out and teach at Quilter's Affair. Tamra is currently training her replacement, Cheryl Crawford. Cheryl has some big shoes to fill!

We went to a retailers’ show last month, and found some wonderful new lines of fabric, scouted outseveral quilt shops, and had a very fun two days. At the moment we are starting to plan kits and bundles.

Here is a sneak peek of some of the new fabrics we are anticipating, with an after the first of the year delivery.

For those of you who can't resist beautiful hand dyed yarn, we just received a huge shipment of Malabrigoin the following weights: two lace weights, sock, DK, worsted, and Bulky. I was blown away by the colors.

Tamra and I will be heading to quilt market this week, which is so very fun and exciting. It is the 41st time I have traveled to Houston for a market–-hard to believe! You never know what you will see, and there is always something exciting. We do lots of our planning for future samples and classes, as well as shopping, and this year I have some exciting news: My quilt "Ephesus" is winning a cash prize! I was notified last week, and they wanted to know if I would be there. Sadly I will not, I will be on my way home to teach a week-long class at the store.

Ephesus by Jean Wells

Stay tuned--we'll share some of our new finds after we get back from Quilt Market!

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Piece and Play with Jean Wells: Project #2 tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d551a8883401bb07ed46bd970d2015-02-09T09:27:11-08:002015-02-09T09:27:11-08:00Welcome to Piece and Play with Jean and Barbara at The Stitchin’ Post in Sisters, OR. www.stitchinpost.com Envelopes are one of my favorite projects to make as gifts……I have made them in letter size as well as tablet size for...Blog | Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR

Envelopes are one of my favorite projects to make as gifts……I have made them in letter size as well as tablet size for men as well as the girls. When I make them for a gift I think about the person and their taste level and try to personalize the fabrics for them.

Notice how I was able to come up with a very different color combination this issue using the palette pac chosen in the very beginning. I love using this idea with my students and having them create several small studies out of the same pile of fabric. I would love to see what you are doing. Send me pictures---jean@stitchinpostcom!

On this 9” x 12” size envelope, my very first one I overlapped raw edges of some scraps ¼”, Pressed the pieces to the Fast to Fuse. Then I free motion quilted the surface, You do see some frayed edges here and there but I have used it for two years and it still looks good.

Look what Barbara created this month! The wonky log cabin blocks just sing on the soft taupe background. When you are looking at fabric and making choices it is so easy to pick all bright or all warm tones, etc. but when you can consider a dull or cool fabric with the others it will make them look more important.

I love watching how Barb works her palette box for each assignment. Giving yourself lots of possibilities in the beginning is always helpful.

We're Busy Making New Kits tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d551a8883401a5119bce14970c2014-04-11T08:30:00-07:002014-04-10T18:21:08-07:00Check Them Out..... Peaks & Valleys Quilt Kit Finished Quilt Size: 68" x 84 1/2" Using a variation of the delectable Mountain block, the design of this quilt forms a jagged chevron effect. The quilt was designed by Tula Pink,...Blog | Stitchin' Post in Sisters, OR

Valori Wells created this quilt to showcase her "Spring" collection of the Blueprint Basics line, which she designed for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. The vibrant colors in the pieced strips really stand out against the crisp white background fabric. This is a fairly easy quilt - no corners to match! And the large background areas give you a place to show off your machine (or hand) quilting.

Kit includes the pattern and all the fabric needed to make the quilt top and binding, you'll need to provide batting and backing.

Finished Quilt Size: 40" x 48"

We have made this adorable baby quilt from a pattern by Valori Wells, with the adorable Fox Playground quilting cottons by Dena Designs for Free Spirit Fabric. (Please note that this is flat cotton fabric, not flannel.)

Kit includes the pattern and all the fabric needed to make the quilt top and binding, you'll need to provide batting and backing.

Finished Size 84" x 84"

From a pattern by Jackie Erickson.

We collected a variety of reproduction prints, and put them together in this lovely old-fashioned quilt. The finished size of the log cabin strips is 1", which creates a lot of movement, and the wide variety of prints gives it a homey, scrappy look. The quilt roll has 37 - 1/3 yard cuts of reproduction fabrics.

Kit includes all the fabric needed to make the quilt top, you'll need to provide binding, batting, and backing.